Apparatus for assembling tread units



June 9, 1925. 1,541,092

c. B. AMES ET AL APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING TREAD UNITS Filed Aug. 19, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CORNELIUS EJCUVIESV EEEIHGE 1 WIKLE C. B. AMES ET AL APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING TREAD UNITS June 9, 1925.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1921 EIEIRNELHJE IELAMEE E'WIKLE GEORGE Patented June 9, 1 925. d I UNITED STATES PATENT v()FFIQE. i

Application filed August 19, 1921. Serial No. 493,751.

To all whom it may concern: and sup-ported by the main table 11. The 55 Be it known that we, CORNELIUS I1. AMEs rldges 22 may be adjustable on the table and GEORGE F. W1KLn,citizens of the United halves 21 and the table halves 21 may be States, and residents of Cudahy and Miladjustable on the blocks 25 and in this manwaukee, respectively, in the county of Mi-lner the device may be readily adapted to waukee and State of Wisconsin, have inbreaker strips of various widths. 60 vented certain new and useful Improve- The cushion applying device comprises ments in Apparatus for Assembling Tread an endless belt 26 mounted upon a pair of Units, of which the following is a specificadrums 27 and 28 supported in a framework 10 tion, 29 carried by the main table 11. This frame Our invention relates to methods and apwork also carries a roller positioned just paratus for assembling tread units and the above the belt 12 and adapted to receive the principal object of our invention is to procushion strip 31 as it is delivered from the vide a new and improved method and new belt as it passes downward around the 15 and improved apparatus for effecting such pulley 27.

assembly. In the drawings accompanyingv The belt 12 at the .right end passes over a this specification and forming a part thereof pulley 32 and at the left end passes over a we have shown, for purposes of illustration, pulley 33 driven by an electric motor 34 one form which our invention may assume. through a driving train 35. The pulley 33 20 In these drawings also carries a belt 36 passing over the pulley Figures 1, 1 and 1 represent a general 28 and in that manner driving the cushion plan view of our apparatus shown as cut applying belt 26. The operation of the into three sections, motor 34 is controlled by a switch indicated Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of generally at 37 and shown as provided with 3 Figur 1*" an exterior handle 38 to which is secured a Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of cable 39 extending on one side over a pulley 30 Figure 1", while 40, thence to the far end of the table 11, Figure 4 is a detailed view of the cushion acrossto the opposite side of the table, back applying mechanism shown in Figure 1*. along the table 11, over a suitable pulley 30 The apparatus'shown in the drawings con down to a point below a handle 38, and

sists of a long table 11 provided with an thence over a sui able pulley 4:1back to the B5 endless belt 12 passing thereover and with handle 38.

a tread laying device 13, abreaker strip lay- In operation, the belt 12 is normally ing device 14,and a cushion laying device 15. continuously operated. but this operation 35 The tread laying device 13 consists of a may be controlled from any point along the scale pan 16 on which the treads may be table 11 by means of the cable 39. The opweighed, a pair'o-f skiving boards 17 on erator at 13 prepares a tread member and which the treads may be cut and skived, places it on the belt 12 between the guides and a pair of guides 18 between which the 18 which accuratel locate the member on tread is laid onto the belt 12. These guides the belt. The tread member is then carried 18 act to position the tread accurately upon along by the belt 12 until it passes under the belt 12 and may be made adjustable to the table 20 whereupon the breaker strip accommodate difi'erent width treads. or strips lying on the table 20 are drawn The breaker laying device 14 comprises a over the end of the table 20 and pressed rack 19 upon which the strips are placed. against the tread 12 to thereby become parpreparatory to use and a table 20 from tially affixed thereto so that continued adwhich the strips are applied. The. table20 vance movement of the tread will draw the consists of two halves 21 each of which is breaker strips from the table 20 onto the provided with a ridge 22 and anupstanding tread during which action the strips will edge piece 23 to thereby form on each half be guided by the ridges 22 and edge piece a channel 24: in which one member of a split 23. After the strips have been drawn from breaker may be placed. Each half 21 of the table 20 a second set will be placed therethetable 20 is supported on a block 25 posion from the rack 19 ready for use with the tioned to form side guides for the belt 12 succeeding tread. When the tread member with the breaker strips applied reaches the cushion applying member 15. the end of the cushion has been placed upon the belt 28 and will be fed down about the drum 30 to meet the tread and breaker membeis and will then pass under the roller 30 which will thereupon exert pressure upon the assembled tread to ress the parts tightly together. The assem led tread is then removed from the left hand end of the belt 12.

The disclosure herein is illustrative only and is subject to many modifications and changes. In particular the edge pieces 23.

may be removed and a single breaker strip usedi, the belt 26 may be omitted and the cushion applying strip moved down manually, and the breaker strip or strips may be applied initially to the cushion strip and the tread strip applied thereafter instead of applying the breaker to the tread and then applying the cushion as shown. Our invention is not limited to the embodiment herein illustrated.

We claim:

1. In a tread unit assembling device a traveling support for receiving a tread element, guides for positioning the element he first element, a moving support parallel to sai-di first mentioned support adapted to position a third tread element and move the latter into assembled position with the previously assembled elements on said first mentioned support.

2. In a tread unit assembling device a traveling belt for receiving a. tread element,

guides for positioning the element thereon,

a stationary support positioned above and' for positioning a secparallel to said belt ond tread element and from which the second element may be moved into assembled relation with the first element, a second belt. parallel to said first belt, adapted to position a third tread element and move the latter into assembled position withthe reviously assembled elements on said first t.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to the above specification.

- CORNELIUS B. AMES. GEORGE F. WIKLE 

